District - Schorsch Englhart (54) has been committed to preserving Bavarian customs and costumes since his youth.
For more than three decades he was chairman of the traditional costume club Agatharied - until he recently left the office to a younger successor.
For this he is now active at a higher level: The driver from St. Quirin is the new board member of the Oberlandler Gauverband - to which 47 clubs are affiliated.
Mr. Englhart, numerous events were canceled due to the pandemic. How do you intend to revive customs and club life?
It is important that we can resume our events now.
That's why I actually hoped that the Leonhardi rides could take place.
There is one in Fürstenfeldbruck.
Sports clubs complain of a corona-related decline in membership and difficult-to-motivate young people. Is it the same for the traditional folk?
I have been to a few club years.
There I could not find any membership decline - on the contrary: the people were happy that something was finally moving again and that they could put on their good clothes.
Of course there are clubs that have problems with youth work.
But that is not only due to Corona, but also to the local conditions.
In some places there are simply not enough young people who are attached to their home country.
What do you want to do differently than your predecessor?
I will not have the same situations, so there will be different decisions and courses of action.
Nothing will change at the Gaufest and the traditional costume pilgrimage to Birkenstein.
It's about preserving tradition.
What is it about tradition and costume that fascinates you?
The nice thing about traditional costume clubs is that nobody is excluded.
While grandma and grandpa tend to be spectators in sports clubs, three to four generations are sometimes actively involved in our events - in other words, the whole family.
I also like that the customs are embedded in the Christian annual cycle.
At church fairs, for example, we put on our good clothes, we go to church and then we go to the dance.
There are lard baked goods, and some still maintain the custom of the kirtahutschn.
This is important because once a custom is lost it becomes difficult to get it back.
For what occasion do you wear traditional costume?
You have to differentiate between the festive costume and the Bavarian garb.
As the name suggests, the festive costume is reserved for the holidays.
The club anniversary, for example, or the Gaufest.
I wear the Bavarian garb - short lederhosen, gilet, white shirt and hat - when I'm invited to a birthday party.
Aren't you afraid that beer will accidentally be poured onto your good clothes at a party?
The risk is there.
But that's not why we sit in the glass house - our traditional costume is alive.
Because we wear them.
There are areas where traditional costumes can only be admired in museums.
How many lederhosen do you actually have?
Five pieces.
Including one that is embroidered according to traditional patterns.
It's for the holidays.
Another one that isn't quite as nice for less significant occasions.
In addition, trousers for the cold season.
This is usually used after a church fair until Easter.
How do you care for leather pants?
It's best to do nothing at all - and by that I also mean that you don't wipe your fingers on your trousers after you've eaten a chicken.
You hear that over and over again.
Just like that you should pour beer over yourself because the lederhosen need a patina.
You don't need that.
And what do you do when beer ends up on it?
Dab gently, do not rub.
Otherwise the pile of the leather will break.
Then let it dry and later brush it out with a clothes brush, in all directions.
Is there a foreign costume that you particularly like?
(ponders)
No, I couldn't say that.
Actually, I'm the most satisfied with our costume
(laughs)
.
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